Tag Archives: massage therapist

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Do you have a medical, pharmacy or nursing license in several different states? Do you have a license in more than one health profession? Have you been notified that an investigation has been opened against you? Are you thinking about resigning your professional license or voluntarily relinquishing such a license? Then you must be aware of the following.

First, you should never voluntarily relinquish or resign your license after you know that an investigation has been opened or that disciplinary action has been taken against you. Such a resignation is considered to be a “disciplinary relinquishment” and is treated the same as if your license had been revoked on disciplinary grounds.

Second, this will be reported out to other states, agencies, to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), to any certifying bodies for certifications you have and to other reporting agencies (such as the National Council of State Board of Nursing, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy or the American Board of Internal Medicine). Other states and other professional boards will most likely initiate disciplinary action based upon the first one.

Protect Your License from These Adverse Actions.

The following is a list of some of the adverse actions that you can expect to be taken against you after discipline on your license or after you resign your professional license after receiving notice of investigation:

1. A mandatory report to the National Practitioner Data Base (NPDB) which remains there for 50 years. Note: The Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank or HIPDB recently merged into the NPDB.

2. Must be reported to and included in the Department of Health (DOH) profile that is available to the public online (for those having one), and remains for at least ten years.

3. Any other states or jurisdictions in which the nurse has a license will also initiate an investigation and possible disciplinary action against him or her in that jurisdiction. (Note: I have had two clients who had licenses in seven other states and all, even ones that were inactive or not renewed years ago, initiated action).

4. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will take action to exclude the provider from the Medicare Program. If this occurs (and most of these offenses require mandatory exclusion) the provider will be placed on the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) maintained by the HHS OIG.

a. If this happens, you are prohibited by law from working in any position in any capacity for any individual or business, including hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, physicians, medical groups, insurance companies, etc., that contract with or bill Medicare or Medicaid. This means, for example, you are prohibited from working as a janitor in a nursing home that accepts Medicare or Medicaid, even as an independent contractor.

b. If this happens, you are also automatically “debarred” or prohibited from participating in any capacity in any federal contracting, and you are placed on the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) debarment list. This means you are prohibited by law from working in any capacity for any government contractor or anyone who takes government funding. This applies, for example, to prevent you from being a real estate agent involved in selling property financed by a government backed loan, prohibited from working for an electrical company that bids on contracts for government housing projects, working as a school teacher in a public school, etc.

c. If this happens, your state Medicaid Program is required to terminate you “for cause” from the state Medicaid Program. In many states, this is also grounds for revocation of your license.

5. Any profile or reporting system maintained by a national organization or federation (e.g., NURSYS profile maintained by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, American Medical Association physician profile, or the Federation of State Board of Physical Therapy profile) will include the adverse action in it, generally available to the public.

6. If you are a nurse practitioner or other professional with clinical privileges at a hospital, nursing home, HMO or clinic, action will be taken to revoke or suspend the clinical privileges and staff membership if you have such. This may be in a hospital, ambulatory surgical center, skilled nursing facility, staff model HMO or clinic. This will usually be for physicians, physician assistants (PAs), advance registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), nurse midwives or certified nurse anesthetists (CNAs), podiatrists, clinical psychologist or clinical pharmacists.

7. Third party payors (health insurance companies, HMOs, etc.) will terminate the professional’s contract or panel membership with that organization.

8. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will act to revoke the professional’s DEA registration if he or she has one.

9. Many employers will not hire you or will terminate your employment if they discover your license has been disciplined in another state.

What Should You Do?

– Don’t take the easy way out by immediately relinquishing your license if you are notified you are under investigation.

– Don’t hide your head in the sand by thinking the case will just go away on its own.

– Don’t take the easy way out. If you are innocent of the charges, request a formal hearing and contest the charges; defend yourself.

– Do not request an informal hearing or a settlement agreement in which you admit the facts alleged against you are all true. If you do this, you are “pleading guilty.”

– Do immediately seek the advice of an attorney who has experience in such professional licensing matters and administrative hearings. They are out there, but you may have to search for one. Do this as soon as you get notice of any investigation and especially before you have talked to or made any statement (including a written one) to any investigator.

– Do purchase professional liability insurance that includes legal defense coverage for any professional license investigation against you, whether it is related to a malpractice claim or not. This insurance is cheap and will provide needed legal assistance at the time when you may be out of a job and not have money to hire an attorney. Beware of the insurance policy that only covers professional license defense if it is related to a malpractice claim.

Professional Liability Insurance.

We strongly encourage all licensed health professionals and facilities to purchase their own, independent insurance coverage. Make sure it covers professional license defense under all circumstances. Make sure you have enough coverage to actually get you through a hearing. $25,000 coverage for just professional licensure defense is the absolute minimum you should purchase; $50,000 may be adequate but $75,000 or $100,000 may be what you really need in such a situation. For a few dollars more (and I do mean only a few) you can usually purchase the higher limits.

Also, I will repeat, make sure it covers your legal defense in an administrative disciplinary proceeding against your license, even if there is no malpractice claim filed against you or likely to be filed against you.

We also recommend that you purchase coverage through an insurance company that allows you to select your own attorney and does not make you use one that the insurance company picks for you.

Companies we have encountered in the past who provide an inexpensive top quality insurance product for professional license defense costs include: CPH & Associates Insurance, Nurses Service Organization (NSO) Insurance, Healthcare Providers Organization (HPSO) Insurance and Lloyd’s of London Insurance.

Contact Experienced Health Law Attorneys.

The Health Law Firm routinely represents physicians, nurses, pharmacists, pharmacies, dentists, mental health counselors, massage therapists and other health providers in investigations, regulatory matters, licensing issues, litigation, inspections and audits involving the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Health (DOH) and other law enforcement agencies. Its attorneys include those who are board certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law as well as licensed health professionals who are also attorneys.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Many massage therapists are unaware of the drastic long-term effects that discipline on their massage therapist license could have. This includes submitting a voluntary relinquishment of the massage therapist’s license while there is an investigation pending or while there are charges pending. Although this particular article is being prepared specifically for massage therapists, similar principles apply to physicians, nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, dentists, mental health counselors and other licensed health professionals.

A voluntary relinquishment of the license after notice of the opening of an investigation or while a charge is pending is treated the same as a disciplinary revocation of the license. It is reported out the same and is treated the same. In some cases it may even be worse, if the agreement to voluntarily relinquish also includes an agreement to never apply for another license again.

Even discipline on the massage therapy license such as a suspension, probation, restrictions, etc., can have far-lasting adverse repercussions. Most people do not understand what else can happen as a result of a discipline, revocation or even voluntary relinquishment (under these circumstances).

Reports to National Organizations on the Discipline.

First and foremost, the discipline (including voluntary relinquishment) will be a public record. It will also be reported out to national reporting agencies, including the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) and the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).

As a result of the report to the NPDB, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will probably start action to exclude the disciplined therapist from the Medicare Program and place him or her on the OIG’s List of Excluded Individual’s and Entities (LEIE). This will bar you from the Medicare Program or working for or contracting with anyone else who does (including insurer’s medical clinics and most health care providers). This by itself will also have many negative consequences. For example, if you are excluded from the Medicare Program you are automatically placed on the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) “debarred” list. You are automatically excluded from working for or contracting with, in any capacity, any organization, individual or agency that has any government contracts or accepts any federal funding. This act can bar you from working for a public school, working as a real estate agent, or many other jobs.

The NCBTMB will also take action to revoke your national certification given by the NCBTMB. This will exclude you from being licensed in any other state.

Summary of Adverse Consequences of Revocation or Other Discipline.

To summarize, the most important adverse problems that may be caused as a result of discipline on your license, may include the following:

1. May cause discipline to be commenced against any other health professional license you have, such as a nurse, acupuncture physician, chiropractic assistant, nurse’s aide, home health assistant, etc.

2. Will prevent you from obtaining any health professional license in the future.

3. May cause discipline to be commenced against any massage therapy establishment license for a massage therapy establishment you own in whole or in part.

4. Any other states or jurisdictions in which you have a license will also initiate action against him or her in that jurisdiction.

5. The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) will also take action to revoke your national certification given by the NCBTMB. This will exclude you from being licensed in any other state and will cause any other state in which you are licensed to take action against you.

6. Mandatory report to the National Practitioner Data Base (NPDB)), which remains there for 50 years. (Note: Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank or HIPDB recently folded into NPDB.)

7. The OIG of HHS will take action to exclude the provider from the Medicare Program. If this occurs, (and most of these offenses require mandatory exclusion) the provider will be placed on the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) maintained by the OIG HHS.

8. If the above occurs, the provider is also automatically “debarred” or prohibited from participating in any capacity in any federal contracting and is placed on the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA’s) debarment list.

9. Third party payors (health insurance companies, HMOs, etc.) will terminate the professional’s contract or panel membership with that organization.

10. Regardless of any of the above, any facility licensed by AHCA (hospitals, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), public health clinics, group homes for the developmentally disabled, etc.) that are required to perform background screenings on their employees will result in AHCA notifying the facility and the professional that he or she is disqualified from employment.

What Can be Done?

If you have submitted a voluntary relinquishment without understanding the consequences, and the Board of Massage Therapy (“Board”) has not acted to accept it, you may withdraw it. What we do is submit a letter to the Executive Director of the Board stating it was submitted by mistake without fully understanding the consequences, and the massage therapist desires to withdraw the voluntary relinquishment. We submit this immediately (keeping a copy, of course) and by certified mail, return receipt requested, so we have proof of sending and proof of receipt.

However, you must also ask for a formal hearing to dispute the facts in your case, as well. We usually do this at the same time and by the same method. If you fail to request a formal hearing, then you are waiving your rights to challenge your guilt or innocence.

If you have requested an informal hearing, you have made a big mistake. For an informal hearing, you admit that everything stated in the complaint against you is true. You have admitted that all of the charges against you are correct, so you are pleading guilty to the charges. You are then giving up the right to have a hearing to determine whether you are really guilty or innocent. All you are going to be arguing about is the punishment you will receive. You will not be allowed to testify on or introduce any evidence on your guilt or innocence.

If you have submitted a request for an informal hearing, not realizing this, then what we usually do is to submit an immediate request to have the hearing changed over to a formal administrative hearing where you are allowed to dispute the facts against you and prove your innocence. In such a case, it is necessary to submit a Petition for a Formal Administrative Hearing and to specify which facts are contested or disputed and why.

The case is then sent to a neutral administrative law judge (ALJ) to hold a hearing on the case. The state Department of Health (DOH) (the parent agency over the Board of Massage Therapy) is then required to prove the facts against you by clear and convincing evidence. In fact, you do not even have to introduce any evidence or testimony, the burden of proof is on the DOH to prove the case against you.

In Florida, if you have an Emergency Suspension Order (ESO), you can appeal it to a court of appeal. The problem with this is that it is very technical to do so and is very costly. Call an attorney who specializes in appeals or appellate law and ask. Additionally, the court of appeal only rules on the law and not the facts. The appeal court will be required to accept everything that is stated in the ESO as true. There is no fact hearing, there are only legal arguments. Your basic case will be delayed while this takes place, and you will probably lose on appeal. This may not be the correct choice for you.

However, if there is an ESO, you also have the right to an expedited fact hearing on it. This may be the best course of action if you have documents and facts to show you are not guilty of the charges.

Furthermore, there will also be an additional document served on you, an administrative complaint (AC). When you receive the AC, it will probably say just about the same thing as the ESO. You will be given your hearing rights when this occurs (called an “Election of Rights” form or “EOR”). As we indicated above, you will almost always want to select a formal administrative hearing in which you dispute (challenge or contest) the allegations (charges) made against you. This is the only way you will have the right to have a full and fair hearing on your innocence of the charges. Make sure it is submitted in plenty of time to be received within the 21 days given. Seek legal advice in completing it. Do not admit to anything; you don’t have to as the state DOH has the burden of proof.

The Need for an Experienced Health Law Attorney.

It is very difficult to take the actions necessary yourself if you do not have any legal training. Nonlawyers make many stupid mistakes in these proceedings, including submitting written statements that can be used against them when they do not have to do so, talking to the DOH investigator or Board personnel, talking to the DOH prosecuting attorney, making admissions which can be used against them, and waiving their rights when they do not have to do so.

Most attorneys are not familiar with these types of procedures if they do not practice health law. They do not realize that the same rights which apply in criminal cases also apply to professional licensure cases. You need to find and hire an attorney experienced in this type of case. That would be a health law attorney, and preferably one who is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Health Law.

What You Should Do.

So the bottom line is that if you are innocent and want to dispute any charges against you, you should:

1. If you have professional insurance coverage, such as HPSO Insurance, see if your insurance will cover your legal defense expenses in this type of case. Many will. We know HPSO will.

2. Act right away to request all of your rights in any matter. Make sure that anything you submit is actually received (not mailed, received) before the deadline given.

3. Do not call, write or speak to the DOH investigator, Board personnel, DOH personnel or the DOH attorney.

4. Do not make a statement, written or oral, to the DOH investigator, Board personnel, DOH personnel or the DOH attorney.

5. Contest (dispute or fight) every action that might be stated against you, including one by the NCBTMB or OIG.

6. Do not admit to anything you don’t have to as the state DOH has the burden of proof.

7. Keep copies of all forms or letters submitted, along with proof of mailing and proof of receipt (send via certified mail, return receipt requested).

8. Retain the services of a health lawyer who has experience in Board of Massage Therapy/Department of Health (DOH) cases (ask him or her how many he or she has actually done). DO THIS FIRST, NOT LAST!

Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Department of Health (DOH) Investigations of Massage Therapists.
The attorneys of The Health Law Firm provide legal representation to massage therapists in Department of Health (DOH) investigations, licensing matters and other types of investigations of health professionals and providers.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. http://www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

On September 19, 2012, Florida state authorities announced the suspension of more than 80 massage therapists’ licenses. They are accused of fraudulently obtaining their licenses based on fake documentation obtained from a staff member at the Florida College of Natural Health, in Pompano Beach, Florida. On September 20, 2012, one massage therapist, whose license was suspended, spoke to the Sun Sentinel saying she had legitimately completed all of the requirements to obtain a license and is now being asked by the Department of Health (DOH) to voluntarily relinquish her license.

Alleged “Rogue” Employee at the Florida College of Natural Health Immediately Terminated.

According to the Sun Sentinel, every massage therapist that had his or her license suspended allegedly received fraudulent documents from a “rogue” employee at the Florida College of Natural Health. The documents allegedly made it appear the person had completed the necessary course requirements to obtain a massage therapy license. Officials with the Florida College of Natural Health said the former staff member was immediately terminated when the scam came to light.

Alleged Fake Documents Spotted by a DOH Official.

A DOH official noticed the difference between one applicant’s fraudulent credentials and the actual course load at the Florida College of Natural Health, according to the Sun Sentinel. The credentials allegedly stated the applicant had completed a 500-hour massage course, but according to the school, the basic massage program the college offers is 768 hours.

One Suspended Massage Therapist Speaks Out.

One South Florida massage therapist spoke to the Sun Sentinel about her license suspension. She claims the investigation against her license has no merit, and said she studied at three different schools, including the Florida College of Natural Health. A check on the DOH website, showed that she has been licensed in Florida since 2008.

According to the now suspended massage therapist, she received a notice of investigation letter from the DOH. Included in the letter was a Voluntary Relinquishment of License form.

There is a blog on our website about the consequences of having a massage therapy license revoked or relinquishing a license upon notice of an investigation. Click here to read this prior blog.

From experience, we know a charge can be filed causing an investigation to be opened against a massage therapist by many different sources and often without any supporting evidence. If challenged and defended by an attorney with knowledge and experience in such matters, these investigations may often be dismissed with no disciplinary action against the massage therapist’s license.

Other Consequences of a Voluntary Relinquishment.

A voluntary relinquishment in such circumstances is treated the same as a disciplinary revocation. The negative consequences of this are many and long lasting. They include:

1. Mandatory report to the National Practitioner Data Base (NPDB) (Note: Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank or HIPDB recently folded into NPDB) which remains there for 50 years.

2. Any other states or jurisdictions in which the client has a license will also initiate action against him or her in that jurisdiction. (Note: I have had two clients who had licenses in seven other states).

3. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of Health and Human Services (HHS) will take action to exclude the provider from the Medicare Program. If this occurs (and most of these offense require mandatory exclusion) the provider will be placed on the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) maintained by the HHS OIG.

4. If the above occurs, the provider is also automatically “debarred” or prohibited from participating in any capacity in any federal contracting and is placed on the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA’s) debarment list.

5. The massage therapist’s national board or certifying organization will act to revoke his or her certification. After this, you won’t be able to be licensed anywhere in the U.S.

The attorneys of The Health Law Firm provide legal representation to massage therapists in Department of Health (DOH) investigations, licensing matters and other types of investigations of health professionals and providers.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

Christopher E. Brown, J.D., is an attorney with The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Many massage therapists, when confronted with an investigation against their license, do not fight the charges, sometimes they decide it is cheaper and easier just to give up their license. Either choice is likely to be a mistake.

A charge can be filed causing an investigation to be opened against a massage therapist by many different sources and often without any supporting evidence. If challenged and defended by an attorney with knowledge and experience in such matters, these investigations may often be dismissed with no disciplinary action against the massage therapist’s license.

Massage Therapists Often Go on to Obtain Licenses in Other Health Specialties.

A massage therapist often has to spend tens of thousands of dollars on school tuition and sacrifice a year or more of their lives to meet the basic criteria for licensing. In many cases this is merely a stepping stone for a later degree and license in another healthcare specialty, such as physical therapy, nursing, acupuncture, or chiropractic medicine.

Your Greatest Assets are Your Professional and Personal Reputation.

One of the maxims that the Romans took as truth was: “A good reputation is more valuable than money,” (attributed to Publilius Syrus approximately 100 B.C.). Socrates wrote in approximately 400 B.C.: “Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of.”

However, despite the fact that you may have worked hard, sacrificed and paid a fortune for an education and training in massage therapy, many are willing to sacrifice their personal reputation rather than paying a few thousand dollars to fight unjust charges against them. What they do not realize is the permanent black mark that will be placed on their record and the long term, devastating consequences of any such action.

When Confronted with Charges Most Massage Therapists Do Not Defend Themselves.

It is my opinion, based on what I have seen at Florida Board of Massage Therapy meetings and reviewing Florida Board of Massage Therapy meeting minutes, very few massage therapists, when confronted with an investigation or charges, hire an attorney to defend them. This may be because they do not have the financial resources or because they underestimate the harm that will be caused to their personal or professional reputations.

Regardless, in my personal opinion and experience:

1. Few massage therapists return their election of rights (EOR) forms on time and therefore, a default is entered against them.

2. Few massage therapists return their election of rights (EOR) forms to state they are contesting the facts and desire a formal hearing to contest the charges against them.

3. Few massage therapists even bother to show up at informal hearings involving their licenses.

4. When they do, they show up at a hearing with a spouse or friend to represent them instead of an experienced attorney familiar with such matters (Q: If you needed brain surgery, would you have it performed by a spouse or friend instead of an experienced neurosurgeon?)

5. If they do retain an attorney to advise and represent them, they either go with the cheapest one they can find or go with one who has no experience at all before the Board of Massage Therapy. (Q: If you needed brain surgery, would you pay your family practice physician to perform it?)

Best Advice: Purchase Insurance with Professional License Defense Coverage.

Often physicians and others concerned about liability issues ask our advice on asset protection in case they are sued. We advise them that their best way of protecting their assets is to purchase good insurance that will pay for a legal defense that protects them against unjust law suit. The same principle applies to massage therapists; except that massage therapy insurance is much, much cheaper, and the major liability that a massage therapist will face is usually from a complaint against his or her license.

If you purchase massage therapy liability insurance, you must make sure that it covers defense expenses of a complaint filed against your license. Many such policies do not. Additionally, you should be sure that it provides at least $25,000 in coverage for such matters. This should be sufficient to provide adequate coverage in the event a fully contested formal hearing is required to defend you.

We have seen many policies and they are as different as night and day in this coverage. When purchasing a professional liability policy, always ask about such coverage. Get the coverage stated in writing. To date, the only company we have experienced which is providing such coverage for massage therapists, and at an incredibly low price, is Healthcare Providers Service Organization (HPSO). Compare this with whatever you have now. If you know of others that provide this coverage, I would like to hear from you.

It has been my personal experience that a massage therapist will be 30 or 40 times more likely to need licensure defense coverage as ever to need defense against a civil lawsuit.

There are many, many additional adverse consequences that you will experience if you receive discipline on (especially revocation of) your massage therapy license. First and foremost, this is on your record forever; it never comes off and cannot be expunged. Additionally, it will be reported to the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) and available anywhere you go in the future in any state, to any licensing board. There are many others. I will detail these in a future blog.

Voluntary Relinquishment after Investigation Has Started Treated as Revocation, the “Death Sentence.”

Many massage therapists believe that the easy and cheap way out if a complaint is filed and an investigation is opened is to resign their license. This is treated the same as a disciplinary revocation and is reported that way. You should never expect to work in health care again or to have a health professional license in any other health specialty or in any other state.

Burden of Proof Is on the State to Prove the Allegations Against You; You Don’t Have to Prove Anything.

If the state brings charges against your massage therapy license, the burden of proof is on the state, just as in a criminal investigation. You do not have to prove anything, and in most cases, you should never make any statement to an investigator or attorney representing the state department of health; these can only be used against you to prove the state’s case against you.

You can remain silent, not say anything and not produce any evidence, and the state may not have enough witnesses or evidence to ever prove a case against you.

Most massage therapists, their non-lawyer representatives and their inexperienced lawyer representatives make a very big mistake. They advise the massage therapist to be interviewed or to make a statement “explaining themselves.” There is no criminal defense attorney worth his or her salt that would ever advise a criminal defendant to do this. Why then must they take leave of their senses and advise a health professional to do this in a “quasi-criminal” or “quasi-penal” investigation? This is almost always very bad advice.

Then, request a formal hearing and contest the facts. Don’t admit to them!

Conclusion: Defend Your Reputation and Massage Therapy License.

In conclusion, take precautions and defend your professional livelihood, your professional reputation and your professional license.

This is Florida. We have hurricanes. If you have a house you own, you purchase insurance on it to protect yourself in the event of a hurricane.

Without your license, you will not have an income and you will not be able to even make house payments. Why wouldn’t you purchase professional insurance that would pay for a defense in the event of that worst case scenario, an investigation of your license. Why wouldn’t you defend yourself to the max if this happened? This will probably feel worse to you and have worse long-term implications to you financially than any hurricane.

Do not wait until action has been taken against you to consult with an experienced attorney in these matters. Few cases are won on appeal. It is much easier to win your case when there is proper time to prepare and you have requested a formal hearing so that you may actually dispute the facts being alleged against you.

The lawyers of The Health Law Firm are experienced in both formal and informal administrative hearings and in representing massage therapists in investigations and at Florida Board of Massage Therapy hearings. Call now or visit our website www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. http://www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of George F. Indest III, P.A. – The Health Law Firm, a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.

By Joanne Kenna, J.D., R.N., and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

According to a number of sources, state authorities have announced the suspension of more than 80 massage therapists’ licenses, who appear to have fraudulently obtained their licenses with the help of a Florida College of Natural Health employee. On September 19, 2012, 81 emergency suspension orders (ESOs) were signed, suspending the licenses of massage therapists who are part of ongoing investigations.

Investigation Found More Than 200 Therapists Obtained Their Licenses Fraudulently.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, earlier this year the Florida Department of Health (DOH), Clearwater Human Trafficking Task Force and the South Florida Human Trafficking Task Force began an investigation into several massage therapy businesses. The investigation turned up more than 200 massage therapists who appeared to have obtained their massage therapy licenses by fraud.

It is believed the 200 people did not enroll in massage therapy school, but received transcripts showing they completed training at the Florida College of Natural Health in Pompano Beach, Florida. The Tampa Bay Times article states that these people allegedly paid between $10,000 and $15,000 to an individual who worked at the Florida College of Natural Health in exchange for transcripts.

The transcripts were then used to get massage licenses from the DOH.

The governor has now ordered a seven-day review of massage schools to ensure they are complying with licensure requirements and regulations. Authorities believe more suspensions will likely be issued.

Massage Therapist Suspensions Thought to Be Tied to Human Trafficking.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, in a news conference authorities said the emergency suspension orders were, in part, an effort to target Florida’s human trafficking problem. Authorities said massage parlors are a typical place for finding victims of human trafficking.

Authorities also said they do not know if these 81 fake massage therapists are victims of human trafficking. It is clear, however, they are not operating legally.

On our website we provide helpful information for licensed massage therapists. To read about the consequences of having your massage therapy license revoked (or relinquishing it after a notice of an investigation), click here. To see the 25 biggest mistakes made by massage therapists after being notified of a DOH complaint, click here. You can also click here to read our advice for preparing for an informal hearing before the Florida Board of Massage Therapy.

Routine Legal Advice Given to Massage Therapists.

We routinely advise massage therapists and all other licensed health professionals with whom we have a legal consultation:

1. Do NOT speak with any Department of Health (DOH) investigator until you have talked to an experienced health law attorney.
2. Do not make any written statement or respond to any letters from the DOH until you have talked to an experienced health attorney.
3. Read everything you receive and be sure to file election of rights (EOR) statements by the deadline, but only after consulting with an experienced health lawyer.
4. You should not attempt to defend yourself without an attorney.
5. Attempting to talk your way out of the situation or explain your side of it will only hurt you.
6. Many types of massage therapist insurance will actually pay for an attorney to defend you in this type of situation.

Contact Health Law Attorneys Experienced with Department of Health Investigations of Massage Therapists.

The attorneys of The Health Law Firm provide legal representation to massage therapists in Department of Health (DOH) investigations and other types of investigations of health professionals and providers.

To contact The Health Law Firm, please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.

About the Authors: Joanne Kenna, J.D., R.N., is an attorney with The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida, area. http://www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620.

“The Health Law Firm” is a registered fictitious business name of George F. Indest III, P.A. – The Health Law Firm, a Florida professional service corporation, since 1999.